Guy Fieri doesn’t go anywhere without cigars—a lot of cigars. “Check it out,” he says, opening the back hatch of the black SUV that’s moving him around New York City on a typical whirlwind day. He’s fresh from a Tequila presentation in Chelsea, but his mind is on cigars. He reaches inside for a rigid, black case about the size of a desktop humidor. He opens it up, revealing a box of cigars cradled in foam in a case that looks like it’s built for the military. This is cigar storage that’s ready for the zombie apocalypse.
He’s a man on the move, even when those moves are unorthodox—like when he nearly spoiled his big shot to become a Food Network mainstay even before his career took off.
He entered the foodie spotlight in the spring of 2006 when he won the second season of “The Next Food Network Star,” an elimination-style competition meant to find upcoming talent. His friends pushed him to do the show and he ended up winning. He seemed tailor made for the spotlight: big personality, tons of charm, the unforgettable look of frosted blonde hair, huge jewelry and his signature, casual air that makes him seem like one of the guys. Combine that with a lifelong passion for food and a nonstop attitude, and he seemed born for the channel.
But he also had a talent for saying no when he felt a move wasn’t right.
This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Cigar Aficionado.
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This story is from the July - August 2023 edition of Cigar Aficionado.
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